Smith one of the best

University of Alabama junior left tackle Andre Smith was one of three finalists named for the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best interior lineman Monday.

By Christopher WalshSports Writer

TUSCALOOSA | University of Alabama junior left tackle Andre Smith was one of three finalists named for the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best interior lineman Monday.Michael Oher of Ole Miss and Duke Robinson of Oklahoma are the other finalists.The award will be presented during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards on Dec. 11. Of the nine-plus awards that will be presented during the show, Smith is the only finalist from the No. 1 Crimson Tide.“All the hard work and determination that we did as a team helped certain individuals be nominated for certain awards,” Smith said during player interviews at the Mal Moore Football Facility. “That’s why I give all the success to my teammates helping me and other guys earn the honor to be finalists for certain awards.”The Outland Trophy, awarded annually by the Football Writers Association of America since 1946, is the third-oldest award in major college football behind the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award.Should he win, Smith will be Alabama’s second Outland winner, joining Chris Samuels in 1999. He’s allowed just one sack this season, and seven during his 36-game career. “I really can’t say enough about the consistency that he’s played with,” Coach Nick Saban said last week. “He’s worked hard this year, he worked hard on his weight, and he worked hard on his conditioning. I think his ability to sustain is better, I think his knowledge and experience at his position has helped him play with more consistency.“He’s played about as well as, I think, anybody could.”Smith is also a finalist for the Rotary Lombardi Award for the top lineman, along with Ohio State linebacker Ray Laurinaitis, Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo, and USC linebacker Rey Maualuga.Among the awards in which Alabama players were under consideration, but not named finalists Monday, were the Davey O’Brien Award for best quarterback (John Parker Wilson), Lou Groza Award for best kicker (Leigh Tiffin), Chuck Bednarik Award for best defensive player (Terrence Cody), Maxwell Award for best all-around player (Glen Coffee and Wilson), and Doak Walker for best running back (Coffee).

Seniors

Even though Alabama has only nine scholarship seniors, Saban gave them credit for making a “huge” difference during the two years he’s been at the Capstone.“We have a great group of seniors, they’ve done a fantastic job,” Saban said. “Regardless of what happens in the future this senior class is going to be, in my mind, the group that sort of turned it around.“How they impacted other people is probably what goes unnoticed to some degree. Every one of those guys, the team means something to them and they’ve invested a lot into this team, and this team’s success.”The nine – Antoine Caldwell, Marlon Davis, Bobby Greenwood, Rashad Johnson, Travis McCall, Will Oakley (out with an injury), Nikita Stover, Nick Walker and Wilson – will play their final game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. Only Middle Tennessee State has so few scholarship seniors, which has helped bring this group together. “A lot of people dropped along the way, a lot of things happened,” Greenwood said. “We’ve learned a lot from that.”

Saban accolades

By having already won four more games this season, Saban has already tied the school record for largest increase in wins from year one to year two of a coaches’ reign. Alabama finished 7-6 last season. W.B. Blount went from threw wins in 1903 to seven, and Gene Stallings won seven games in 1990, and 11 the following season.Additionally, Saban’s 18 wins over his first 24 games is the fourth most in Tide history behind Xen Scott (24), Frank Thomas (20) and Wallace Wade (20).

Tide-bits

Cody isn’t wearing a knee brace around the clock any more, but was still carrying it around Monday. “The knee is doing excellent,” he said. “Not having to play on it last week gave me more time in the training room.” No one sat out of Monday’s practice, but true freshmen linemen Tyler Love and Barrett Jones continued to wear black jerseys, signaling no contract. Saban said that junior running back Roy Upchurch (neck spasms) and Earl Alexander (ankle) have both been cleared to practice this week.Due to poor field conditions from rain, Alabama practiced inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility for one of the few times this season. FYI, the Tide will play on artificial turf next week at the Georgia Dome.McCall and Walker will play in their 50th career game Saturday, and are on pace to tied the Alabama record for most games played 52. Fullback Tarrant Lynch (1990-94) holds the record thanks to a fifth year of eligibility due to a medical hardship. FYI, Greenwood has played in 48 games, and Johnson 47.Speaking of streaks, Cody hasn’t lost since the last game of his freshman year at Gulf Coast Coast Community College, a record of 23-0. “I hate being on the losing side. I like win, that’s why I go out and play my hardest.” One area of improvement that has gone largely unnoticed this season is snaps in shotgun formation. “I don’t know because they were horrible during camp,” Wilson said. “He just does it in the game, and it’s something I haven’t thought about because I know it’s going to be there.”Davis on playing Auburn last season after missing the previous four games: “It was a little tough, to miss four games and try to come in, an important game like Auburn was, and get used to the speed of the game, and how physical it was. It wasn’t extremely hard but of course it was somewhat difficult.

Reach Christopher Walsh at christopher.walsh@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0196.

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